Libraries' 2018 writers-in-residence: Hagen and Hingston

Darrin Hagen is one of the EPL's 2018 writers-in-residence.

Photograph by: Ian Jackson
, Edmonton Journal

Darrin Hagen has historical plans for his just-announced stint at the library. The accomplished playwright is named one of two writers-in-residence for 2018 by the Metro Federation — a consortium of the public library systems of Edmonton, Fort Saskatchewan, St. Albert and Strathcona County.

Local author and publisher Michael Hingston is the other winning residency recipient. He’ll be spending the 12-month position in the three outlying communities — like Hagen writing, speaking and mentoring. Both applied for the positions, pitching their visions.

Hagen, artistic director of Guys in Disguise, will spend his year in the Edmonton Public Library (which branch yet to be determined) working on a number of projects, including digging up stories from the gay purge — an era when being outed meant losing everything.

“My whole writing career started because I told my story,” he explains. “The Edmonton Queen was ‘Here’s a story I can tell that nobody else can tell.’ And I know that everybody has one of those stories.

“Partially because of my advancing years,” he laughs, “I’m really interested in finding people who were affected by the gay purge in the civil service, the military and the police services in Canada that happened up until the mid-’80s — forced out of their jobs because they were queer.

“I’m determined to find some of those people who are probably even more advanced in age than I am.

“The second you lay your story down, you become a co-writer at that moment.”

Hagen says the timing is excellent. “We have this reconciliation coming, this apology coming from the federal government and a big anniversary coming along, recognizing a milestone anniversary in gay rights.

“This is my third time applying, so I feel very lucky to get it — it’s a great feeling. It couldn’t come at a better time. I’ve got some big plans for 2019. It’s the 50th anniversary of decriminalization and I have a plan to present all my queer history work within one year.”

This will involve finishing a number of plays and creating new work. Hagen will be able to do some of this work at the library — where he and Hingston will each be responsible for keeping office hours.

Fittingly for the multiple award-winning playwright, some of his community outreach will be performance based. “My time at Loud and Queer as curator and director taught me that staged readings by professional actors are a brilliant way for writers to see the impact of their work.

“Even novelists and short story writers benefit from the idea of turning their work into a performance.”

Hagen notes novices to published veterans benefit equally from this method of collaboration. All are welcome to come see him.

Hagen also wants to showcase lesser-known writers he knows who haven’t had such a showcase.

The playwright, actor, composer, director and TV host has also been a journalist, and plans to play that role again. “My job there was to do artist profiles. I loved crawling into someone else’s imagination. I’m looking forward to actually interviewing and profiling writers and find a way to get their work in front of people.”

Whether this lives on the EPL’s website or as a separate blog — which could continue past Hagen’s tenure — is in the works.

“Those are a few prongs in terms of how I’m going to move forward.”

Hingston, meanwhile, who wrote The Dilettantes novel and is the co-publisher of the annual Short Story Advent Calendar (available at Audreys and The Prints and the Paper), is looking forward to the exchange of ideas the position encourages.

“Most writing happens when you’re alone in a room,” he notes, “but we all benefit from talking and sharing our work with others.

“I can’t wait to meet the great writers in these communities and help them produce something really special.”

Past writers-in-residence since the program’s inception in 2007 include Linda Goyette, Marty Chan, Omar Mouallem, Elizabeth Withey and Wayne Arthurson. This year’s set was David van Belle and Richard Van Camp.

Local writers looking to connect and work with Hagen and Hingston can book time with them starting in January at metrowir.com.

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